French Motorail

It was the day before we were leaving for our holiday in Spain using Raileurope to transport us and our car to and from Narbonne.

I received a phone call telling me that the train would not be running due to industrial action by guards.

This meant that I had to drive to my destination (the very thing we were obviously trying to avoid) and from Calais, which is not the starting point we would have chosen. Oh well at least we can use the motorail to return.

On the journey home we were allocated a berth that had not been cleaned from the previous occupation - rubbish, unmade beds, dirty bed linen, no towels etc.

When I pointed this out to the guard he said he would deal with it, but he never did. I have to say he appeared to be worse the wear from drink.

I then spoke to a guard from the adjoining carriage who at first said it was not his business, but eventually took charge. Eventually, and sometime into the journey, we were moved to a new berth in another carriage.

I went to the 'bar' (a new innovation this year)at about 9.00 pm to get coffee, and two of the guards (one being the guard from the original carriage allocated to us) were drinking, singing and behaving boisterously and looking the worse for drink (certainly not in a fit state to deal with an emergency if one arose).

When we came to wash the following morning there was a problem with the water system and none was available.

I have to say that I think that the standard of service provided was extremely unsatisfactory. I wrote to Raileurope on 27 July setting out the above. I received an acknowledgement but to date no formal reply.

Two weeks after our return I read in the press that on the service that we used a train had been held up and cars were broken into and luggage stolen.